--- In
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, Duane Spurlock
<duane1spur@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> "cptpipes2000" cptpipes@... cptpipes2000
wrote:
>
> <<
> I've also started reading Charles McCarry. I haven't
read much in
the
> spy genre beyond
> Robert Littell and Kent Harrington's American Boys,
but the two books
> I've read so far in
> McCarry's series are highly recommended.
> >>
>
I rate McCarry very highly. Among American espionage writers,
I can't think of anyone other than Ross Thomas who I would
rank above him.
McCarry has an interesting background, which I heard him
relate at a function at the Smithsonian. He was a
speechwriter for a Secretary of Labor in the Eisenhower
administration and after selling a couple of short stories
for good money to (IIRC) the Saturday Evening Post, he
tendered his resignation. The Secretary invited him to a
private farewell lunch in his office and when he arrived
there was one other attendee--the legendary head of the CIA
Allen Dulles.
Dulles asked him to join the agency. When McCarry said he
wanted to be a writer, Dulles replied by all means be a
writer. McCarry thought about it a moment and asked but what
will I do for the agency? Dulles said pleasantly McCarry
shouldn't worry about it. "That's our job. When we come up
with something, we'll let you know."
McCarry did continue as a writer, and as E. Howard Hunt
proved before him, a writer's career is a good cover for an
undercover CIA agent. After years as a magazine writer, his
first book was a biography of Ralph Nader called CITIZEN
NADER. I took that book to the Smithsonian event to be
autographed. Nader has always been a bit paranoid, perhaps
dating from the days General Motors had him followed. Word of
McCarry's CIA career came out some years after the biography.
Presenting the book to be signed, I mentioned that the news
must have awakened all of Nader's worse suspicions. McCarry
smiled at my speculation. He said whatever Nader may have
thought when he heard about McCarry's CIA background, the
biography had been a simple, straightforward writing
assignment.
Concurrent with his career as a novelist, McCarry is one of
the best ghost writers of autobiographies by former public
officials. Former Trasurery Secetary and Ronald Reagan Chief
of Staff Don Regan insisted McCarry's name be listed on the
cover of their book together.
Secondly, he was for many years the "writing doctor" at
National Geographic Magazine where his influence was said to
be profound. As I recall, one of the few times McCarry's
byline appeared in the magazine was in the lead article for
the 100th anniversary issue. Quite a mark of respect. He
later quietly resigned from the magazine after an editor he
admired was fired.
One favorite novel by McCarry is his THE TEARS OF
AUTUMN.
Richard Moore
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